While you may not see yourself as a Caregiver right now, you might be a Caregiver if…
- Your loved one (Partner, Spouse, Child, Sibling, Parent, Best Friend) is too ill to care for themselves and you’ve stepped up to help
- You are making care decisions for your loved one that they would make on their own under normal circumstances
- You are spending time everyday speaking to your loved one’s healthcare practitioners, insurance providers or other family members/friends to coordinate care
- You are the one that is called if there is an issue in the middle of the night
- You suddenly find that you no longer have time for the things that you love to do
- You feel overwhelmed with balancing your daily tasks and commitments with the tasks and commitments of your loved one
- You feel guilty when you are not available or unable to be there for your loved one
- You find that most of your conversations involve information about your loved one’s illness
- You cannot remember the last time you slept through the night
- Your friends have stopped calling to invite you out because they know you’ll decline
So what does this all mean?
Identifying ourselves as a Caregiver is powerful.
It allows us to then be more open to seek out and accept support, guidance and tools that help our loved ones and us throughout the crisis experience and beyond. Connecting with peers, support groups or agencies that focus on Caregiving can be a good first step to getting the help that we need.
It is often difficult to look at ourselves as a Caregiver, especially if the person we are caring for is our child, parent or spouse. In many ways, we may feel as though it is our obligation to provide this care and because of this obligation, we may not realize how important it is to ask for help ourselves.
If this list resonated with you or if there were parts of it that reflect your reality right now, you ARE a Caregiver.
It’s time to ask for help
Not sure where to start? Contact me and I’ll help you find the resources, support and tools to help you along this part of your journey. You don’t need to do this alone!